Queen of the Wilis
by CanaceErinn
Summary: The new Queen of the Faeries must face many Underground challenges, including Jareth. Part 2 of ALP!
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: If you have not already read _A Labyrinth Prequel_, please do so before starting on this story, or you will be confused. Thanks! Please review!**

**Prologue**

_It's not fair!_ Thirteen year old Sarah Williams thought, running down her hometown's streets. Her destination in sight, she slowed a bit, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "How could he do this to me?" she almost wailed aloud.

Recently, Sarah's father had begun dating a woman named Karen. At first, Sarah had had no problem with that- he and Sarah's mother divorced eight years ago- but the more he saw Karen, the less nicer Karen was to Sarah. And today, when she'd been trying to study, here they'd come, Karen flashing a huge engagement ring in Sarah's face.

"Isn't it wonderful, Sarah?" Karen cooed, her eyes flashing triumphantly.

Gritting her teeth, Sarah smiled and replied, "Congratulations, Daddy. I hope you're happy. Now, if you'll excuse me….."

And here she was, at the park. Crossing the bridge to her favorite spot, Sarah flopped on the grass with a sigh. " It's just not fair!" She reached into her backpack for her math book, but pulled out something else: a little red, leather covered book, simply called "The Labyrinth."

"How did this get in my bag?" Sarah murmured, turning the book over. It had been a gift from her mother, given to Sarah when she was five years old. Her mother had never told her where had come from; whenever Sarah had asked, she always changed the subject.

"You think you have problems?" a voice suddenly said.

Sarah's head jerked up, and she glanced around. "Who's there?"

The voice did not respond, saying, "Look, look, and see……………………"

The lettering on the book's cover seemed to glow as Sarah opened it, and she began to read……………………


	2. Chapter 1:A Day in Her Life

**Chapter 1: A Day in Her Life**

It was early morning in the Faerie Realm, and Her Majesty, Queen Adina, was fast asleep. She had recently been crowned after the death of her parents, the late King and Queen. Since then, Adina had worked hard to silence all the naysayers. This was her first full night of sleep……….

"Good morning, Your Majesty!" the ladies in waiting trilled in unison as they entered Adina's bedchamber.

Adina in turn greeted them with a groan, and stuffed her head under her pillow. "Go away," she muttered.

"Now, Your Majesty!" one of the ladies merrily replied, flying toward the bed. "Your subjects and kingdom are awaiting you!"

_I'll bet they are, _Adina thought sarcastically, not moving. _Couldn't they wait a bit longer and let me sleep?_ It was all she could do to not throw fireballs at the ladies.

"I know!" another lady squealed, fluttering in place. "Let's serenade Her Majesty!"

"Alright, I'm up!" Adina abruptly sat up, much to the delight of the ladies. _Anything but their singing! _

"Good! This way!" Once again in unison, the ladies gestured to the bathroom. Adina quickly washed her face, and quietly began fixing her hair, when one of the ladies let out a loud shriek.

"No, no!" She- Nessabelle, was that her name?- cried. "Your Majesty must never fix the Royal Hair. We shall do it for you."

This started a long debate on whether Her Majesty's hair should be up or down, low or fluffy, straight or curly, and the like. Before they could, Adina snuck out, and was getting dressed.

A few minutes later, she was at the door to the hall, resplendent in a deep purple velvet gown and matching tiara.

"Well," Adina said to no one in particular, "I'm off!" And she grabbed her train and hustled out, still unnoticed by the arguing ladies. _With any luck, they'll be there all day,_ she grinned, her skirts swishing. It was so easy to get rid of them, if only for a little while.

Entering the private dining room, Adina selected a bowl of fruit, and began eating. Apples, various berries, oranges, peaches……..she shook her head.

_No. Not now. I will not be intimidated, _Adina thought fiercely, stabbing an apple slice and biting into it. She had too much to do, as Faerie Queen. Having a chit chat when her schedule was so full was not part of her agenda!

_I wish…..no, I can't do that, say that, think that yet, _Adina silenced herself. _Things would only be worse. _ Pushing away the remainder of her breakfast, she stood, and headed for the throne room. Her throne room.

A royal fanfare announced Adina's entrance. All the courtiers (minus her ladies- _still squabbling, thank goodness!_) bowed or curtsied as she passed, slowly walking to the throne. She sat down, regally.

_Another day, another headache, _Adina sighed, closing her eyes for a second. To her appointment keeper, she called out, "Began the audiences."

As he opened the door, Adina felt something sharp poke her arm. Looking down, she saw an envelope. _What in the world? What is….._

Inside, a letter, and it said,

_Dear Adina,_

_We need to talk. Please._

_Jareth_

Adina closed the letter, and tried not to cry. He had sent her several notes, but none with such a begging tone. _Jareth's getting desperate. I wish we could, but…I need time to think things through before talking. _

"Your Majesty? Is something wrong?" one of Adina's lords bowed as he asked.

"What? Oh no, not at all," Adina quickly replied, coming out of her trance. "No, nothing…." She snapped to attention, and straightened. "Who is the first to see me?"

In the Goblin Realm, the daily chaos was just beginning. Noise erupted in every inch, except one: the private rooms of the Goblin King's castle.

Jareth stared out the window, deep in thought. _Why won't she respond? It doesn't have to be face to face, just a note would do. _ It had been weeks since he'd last heard from Adina. Now, it seemed she was so boggled down as Queen, she had no time for any of her old habits. _Well, that will just have to change. _Jareth conjured up a crystal, and gently blew it out the window, in Adina's direction. _Let's see her ignore that. _

"Your Majesty, such lovely weather today!" one of the ladies exclaimed. Adina had decided to take a walk in the castle gardens, but had unfortunately been followed by her ladies in waiting.

_I'm surprised the argument finished so quickly. Normally a topic like that would've taken them all day. _Adina rolled her eyes as the ladies began squealing. "What is it?"

"Oh, a butterfly!" one gleefully cried. "How pretty!"

Adina walked up to them to have a look. "Oh, a monarch! See, it's black and orange; with that wing span and color, you can tell."

The ladies looked at her blankly, and were silent. Then- "Such a lovely butterfly! Come back here!" And they took off after it, leaving Adina alone.

_Why am I not surprised? _Adina sighed, watching them fly off. _This usually happens whenever I try to teach them anything. I wonder why I bother. _She heard a slight 'ping', and saw rolling on the ground, a crystal.

_Where did that come from? _Adina asked herself, though she knew the answer.

Following the crystal, Adina was led to a little glen, off the garden path. The crystal rolled into the bushes, and out stepped Jareth.

**Author's Note: Now, what could Jareth want to talk to Adina about? I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It will be the last one for a little while, because I am going off to dance camp next week. However, I will keep working on the story! Please review! **


	3. Chapter 2:Just a Little Talk

**Chapter 2: Just a Little Talk**

"Adina, dearest, how are you?" Jareth walked up to her, arms outstretched for a hug, but she stopped him with a glare.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Adina asked wearily. _Might as well get straight to the point, brother mine. _

_Not even a polite hello? _Jareth looked briefly annoyed, but then he saw Adina's face. _She's worn out. Can't they let her get some sleep? _"I wanted to see how you're doing so far. From the looks of it, you need to rest."

"I can't do that yet, Jareth, I've been Queen for barely a month, and already there are naysayers," Adina countered, glaring at him with a ferocity she did not feel. "They have to be silenced, lest the Council judge me."

"The Council already accepted you as the Heir, and gave you their blessing! There's no reason for their judgment, unless you've done something wrong-" Jareth's eyes narrowed. "You haven't done anything wrong, have you?"

"Not unless you count harboring ill feelings toward ladies-in-waiting and their singing abilities." Adina grinned, and she and Jareth laughed. "In all seriousness, no. But there have been complaints, merely because I have new ideas."

"Such as?" Jareth asked. _Knowing the Faeries and the way Adina thinks, they're probably ordinary ideas that seem radical._

"Well," Adina sat on a large rock, "We need improvements in the military, and a stronger wall around the realm- basically, just a buildup of our defenses."

"But, Adina, no one has attacked the Faerie Realm in three hundred years, there's really no need." _Am I siding with her silly Advisors? Mother help me!_

_Some help he is! _Adina shook her head. "I know, but we've grown lax. And all the other kingdoms –including yours- have good, heavy walls and strong armies. Tell me, when you think of Faeries, what word comes to mind?"

"Delicate," Jareth answered honestly. "Simpleminded, carefree………."

"Exactly!" Adina cried triumphantly. "That's why the Council has never taken our comments at Grand Meetings seriously! I want the Faerie Realm to still be a little simple, but also taking its place in important discussions at Meetings!" _Don't you get it? _

"What you want, the others see it as the end of all the old traditions," Jareth pointed out. "They view change as a greater threat than anything you say might happen!"

"True," Adina coincided with a sigh. "I just want everything and everyone to be safe as possible. I am a Queen, I must take care of my people."

_At least she's dedicated to her job. Better than me. _ "Adina," Jareth said suddenly, "do you have a militia?" _This might work………._

_That's a good idea, let me think………_ Adina tried to remember, closing her eyes. "We used to, when I was little, but Father disbanded it for some reason."

"Why don't you, at the next meeting with your Advisors, reintroduce the militia? It would appease both sides, and if they like it enough, eventually you could talk about an army." _It's the best solution I can come up with. _

Relief washed over Adina's face. "See how much they've frazzled me? I never thought of that!" She stood up, grinning at her brother. "Being a past custom, combined with their reverence for such, the Advisors will accept this idea! Thank you!" Adina walked over to Jareth and hugged him tightly.

"Your Majesty! Where did you go?" several voices called out.

"Took them long enough," Adina smirked as she pulled away from the embrace. "I need to go, now. Thank you for coming, Jareth."

"Hmmm, and originally you didn't want to see me," he teased. Jareth's expression grew serious. "Adina, should you need me, even just to talk…………………"

"I'll call." Adina smiled, walking toward the sound of the courtiers' voices. She turned, and saw Jareth was gone. _I never know how he's going to leave. Sneak. _

"Your Majesty!" the ladies cried, relieved to see their ruler safe. "Here you are!" "Where did you go?" "Please forgive us for leaving you!"

"Think nothing of it," Adina graciously waved their stammering and apologies off, and headed for the castle. "Come, it's almost dark………………….."

Outside the Faerie Realm, in what was considered the Land of Souls, laid the Underground cemetery. The only beings allowed buried inside, as to avoid overcrowding, were various Underground royals and nobles. However, in one secluded corner, there was a group of tombs, with residents who had one thing in common: they were all young women who had died of broken hearts. The entire Underground called them the Wilis. And every evening, beginning at the stroke of midnight, their spirits rose to dance, and take revenge on any unfortunate male who happened to be nearby. Tonight was no different………………

Off in the distance, chimes rang the hour, once, twice…………………..all the way to twelve. All was still.

Slowly, from one of the farthest graves in the corner, rose a figure wearing a long white gown and veil. Her hair was as black as the night, and she held two sprigs of rosemary in her arms.

"Sisters!" she commanded, stretching the rosemary over the tombs. "Remember your fate, and come forth!"

From each grave in the section came a girl, one following another wordlessly. All wore similar white dresses, and carried lilies. In unison, they humbly bowed to the Wili who had risen first.

"Before we begin," their leader firmly stated, "I require news of the Faerie Realm. Giselle?"

"Yes, Queen Myrtha?" a slender Wili stepped forward, curtsying.

"You led a male Faerie to his death the other night. Did you hear anything from him?" Myrtha fixed Giselle with a piercing stare.

"Why, yes. In the midst of his begging for his life, he said he was a loyal subject of Her Majesty Queen Adina-"

"Hold!" Myrtha's eyes flashed dangerously. " _Adina _ is now Queen? Where is Queen Imogene?"

"My Queen," one Wili ventured, "Her Majesty died several weeks ago. She rests now, with the Mother." All the Wilis but Myrtha bowed their heads reverently at her name.

"Why? That little brat isn't full Seelie, anyone can see it!" Myrtha dismissed her followers with a wave of her hand, and they quickly scattered. "She should not- must not – be Queen! I shall see to that!" With an evil chuckle, she gracefully headed to the main road, anticipating her next male victim.

**Author's Note: I'm back! I do hope you liked this chapter. Jareth and any recognizable characters from _Labyrinth _are not mine. Myrtha, Giselle, and the Wilis are from the ballet _Giselle_(one of my favorites), so they're not mine either. Please review! **


	4. Chapter 3:A Gallant Knight Enters

**Chapter 3: A Gallant Knight Enters**

A few days later, Adina was feeling quite good about the way things were going. The Advisors had listened to, and wholeheartedly accepted her (_actually Jareth's, I just agreed, _Adina thought) militia proposal. A search had begun for someone to train the volunteers, and so far no one had been found suitable for such an important task. Until that afternoon…………………..

"Your Majesty?" one of the young heralds entered the throne room, where Adina was reading some progress reports from the Realm's northwestern region. "There is someone at the gates, he, ahm, wishes to speak with you…………….."

Noticing the herald's unusual manner, Adina glanced at him solemnly. "About what? And stop stammering and smiling. You are a herald, not the court fool." _Being stern like that is a nuisance, but he must learn his place. _

"About the militia training position, Your Majesty," the herald replied, chastened. "But……he is not…………beg pardon………."

_Is he going to waste all my time? He's lucky I don't demote him to kitchen boy! _Adina sighed, starting to feel annoyed. _Jareth was right. I'm working too hard-otherwise I would never be this snippy. _"Not Faerie? I can accept that. Is he an elf? A brownie? A dryad?"

"No, Majesty!" the herald cried, more embarrassed than ever. "He is an Animal- a dog, to be specific!"

_An Animal? Really! _Adina stood, trying to contain her excitement. "Show him in."

The herald bowed, and left the room. Minutes later, he returned, followed by a little brown canine- Adina wasn't sure of the breed. He was clothed in a yellow and red shirt, a brown belt from which his scabbard hung, and a blue cap with a fluttering feather in it sat upon his head. But the most intriguing part about him, Adina thought, was the black eye patch covering his right eye.

_I wonder what happened? _Adina tried to guess curiously, taking him in. Both he and the herald fell to their knees before her, faces downward. "Rise, Sir……….."

"Didymus, Your Majesty," the little dog replied with a note of pride. He stood, and smiled at her. "Sir Didymus, a great knight, who has seen many battles, and is honored to stand in your presence, Your Majesty."

_This gets more intriguing by the minute. _"Tell me, Sir Knight-" –Adina sat down again- "why are you here?"

"Well, Your Majesty," Didymus straightened himself, "I have heard that thou wast in need, and so here I am, to do my sworn duty!"

_At least he's entertaining,_ Adina tried hard not to laugh, and pursed her lips. _Certainly energetic. _"Yes, but why here? If you've been in so many battles, why come to what's basically training a bunch of male Faeries who may never need to fight?"

Didymus's tail drooped a little, and he sighed. "Because, Majesty, I have no home. I travel throughout the kingdoms, offering assistance, but it seems no one needs a knight such as myself anymore."

_Or that they laughed at him for being different, _Adina felt ashamed of herself for nearly doing so, and a twinge of pity for the eccentric knight. _I know the feeling. _She smiled reassuringly at him. "I do."

Didymus's head shot up, eyes staring incredulously. "My lady- Your Majesty- you do?"

"Yes. Who better to train men than a battle hardened veteran?" Adina stood, and walked up to him. "If you like, I want you to be in charge of my militia. You will be fully responsible, no interference except from me, for any methods or length of time training the volunteers. You can stay in the castle if you like, eat here-"

"May my faithful steed, Ambrosius, stay here as well?" Didymus was so excited, he didn't notice he had interrupted his new mistress.

Adina knelt down to see him eye to eye. "Certainly." _One has to wonder what Ambrosius is, since his master is a dog. _"Page!" One flew over and bowed. "Show Sir Didymus to his room, and make sure his…………….steed………..is placed safely also."

As they left the room, Adina grinned, pleased with herself. _I didn't even have to read his mind! He is honest, brave, seems loyal, and true. _

Evening had fallen, meaning it was time for dinner with her ladies in waiting. Adina swept out of the room, trailed by several of them, all praising her decision.

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During the Queen's interview with Didymus, one of the Advisors rolled his eyes. How could Her Majesty possibly take this imbecile seriously? Maybe she was just being polite. That was acceptable, in his opinion.

So, when the Queen had appointed the dog to the very important position, he was at once shocked and angered. What could she be thinking? A stupid fuzz ball in charge of reserved defenses? He'd glanced around, and had seen some of the other Advisors were not pleased either.

"Stay here for a moment," he mouthed to one of them whose eye he'd caught.

"Advisor Felduff!" he greeted his fellow Faerie quietly. "I believe you don't like Her Majesty's latest decision either."

Felduff hissed, and growled, "I know more about the military than that mongrel does! He's probably homeless because of his ridiculous bravado getting him in trouble, I'll wager. But what say you, Advisor Vinguyne?"

"I don't care for him either, but he is the least of my concerns," Vinguyne whispered. "I am tired of Her Majesty making such foolish, irrational decisions! Her parents, Mother preserve them, were never this dumb!"

"I know, and they weren't too bright," Felduff groaned. "Maybe it is because she is young, and new……………"

"Pifle! She has been this way her whole life! I don't see a change coming, short of iron upside the head!" Vinguyne argued, a sneaky smile spreading across his face. "Perhaps there is a way…….."

"What do you mean? What are you saying?"

Vinguyne's face became one of determination. "Gather the others who are on our side. Tell them to meet at…….The Burnt Fig's wine cellar, tonight at midnight. Somehow, Adina must be stopped!"

**Uh oh, this doesn't look good for Adina! And what will happen now that Sir Didymus is at the castle? Please review! Thanks! **


	5. Chapter 4:Important Business

**Author's Note: I'm back! Real life has gotten in my way, and has really hindered things. But…..to make a long story short, I'm back, and hopefully I should do much better on updating this story. And still, any characters that you recognize from _Labyrinth_ do not belong to me. Any that you don't recognize are all mine! Thanks! Please review!**

**Chapter 4: Important Business**

"Steady, now!" Sir Didymus ordered as a group of male Faeries marched forward, carrying spears and shields. They were in perfect unison, with face high and shoulders square. None of them wavered.

Adina watched the soldiers from her receiving stand with admiration. Didymus had only had the group of recruits for three weeks, and had trained them night and day. When Adina had expressed concerned for their well-being and health, Didymus eagerly told her, "Nay, Majesty! Tis a tradition for recruits to work hard in the beginning! It giveth them much needed strength for future exercises!"

_Since I don't know as much as military training as I'd like to yet, I took his word,_ Adina reminisced, watching the recruits crisply turn to the right as one. She stood and applauded their efforts, feeling a glow of pride as they noticed and saluted her. _Things are coming along so nicely…._

"Are you ready, Vinguyne?" Advisor Felduff whispered to his colleague. They stood a few feet away from Adina, watching her all the while.

With a sinister smile Felduff reached under his robes and produced a small vial. "This should be just enough iron to incapacitate Her Majesty. It won't kill her, just…get her out of the way, and allow us to rule."

Felduff nodded his approval. "Very good, Advisor." He glanced over his shoulder, spying a young page flying nearby carrying a tray with several glasses of wine. "Here comes your chance!"

Adina's smile grew larger upon watching the recruits demonstrate several blocking techniques with their shields. _I'd hate to try and break through those! It seems impossible; I don't think even a good spell could do it! _She heard a small noise, and turned to see Advisor Vinguyne take a tray of drinks from a small page. _Now, what is he up to?_

"Your Majesty!" Advisor Vinguyne exclaimed with false cheerfulness. "Would you like something to drink?"

_Hmmm, I think I'll just play along._ Adina smiled at him and replied, "Yes, thank you." She quietly watched as he set the tray down and handed her a glass. _He's never been happy to see me before….._

"To the militia, Your Majesty!" Vinguyne toasted with a raise of his glass. "May it be successful!"

_I don't want to drink this; I really don't, _Adina thought, trying to come up with a way to avert the toast. _But there isn't a solution…._ Resigned, she raised her glass and prepared to drink the contents, when she heard the clearing of a throat. _Saved!_ Adina turned to see one of her messenger Faeries hovering behind her with a bow. "Yes?"

"Your Majesty," the messenger bowed, handing her a note. "This just came for you."

_I hope it's worth the delay! _Adina breathed a sigh of relief as she took the envelope. The seal was that of the Grand Council, which met every few months to discuss Underground business. Breaking the seal, Adina read the following:

_To Her Royal Highness Adina Xanthe, Queen of the Seelie Faeries:_

_Your Majesty,_

_Your presence is requested at a special meeting of the Grand Council to be held tomorrow morning in the council chamber in the center of the Underground. Come as soon as possible. _

_Respectfully,_

_Athaniel Rainridge_

_Secretary of the Grand Council_

When she had finished reading, Adina stood up to leave. _Soon as possible means now._

"Your Majesty?" Advisor Vinguyne asked, now joined by Advisors Felduff and Sofbaum, who was less vocal than his peers.

"I'm sorry, Advisor, I have pressing business I must attend to. Thank you for the refreshment anyhow." Adina hurried away, still holding her glass. _While the ladies squabble over what I should wear, I'll just take this to my lab. He seemed genuine, but underneath there was some malice. It practically glowed from within. _

As the Queen hurried off, Advisor Vinguyne's face became a mask of rage. "Shavit!" he cried, invoking an old Faerie curse. "So close!"

"She did not drink, then?" Advisor Sofbaum seemed to state instead of question. "It should've worked- normally that brew and its smell are irresistible!"

"Her Majesty is anything but normal, you know that," Advisor Felduff said dryly. He gazed out over the courtyard where the militia was standing at attention as Sir Didymus shouted orders. "When she finishes her business we shall have to try that again."

"No!" Vinguyne snapped. "She's too smart to fall for the same trick twice. We'll have to think of something else."

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As night spread over the Underground, the denizens of the Land of Souls slowly rose. And once again, in the Underground cemetery, Myrtha was the first to appear.

"Sisters, rise!" she ordered. All the Wilis rose in unison, again bearing bouquets of lilies.

"My sisters, I have news of the utmost importance," Myrtha intoned. "there is to be a meeting of the Grand Council. I know it is a specially called meeting, one in which Queen Adina's presence will be greatly needed. She will be gone for at least a night. Tomorrow, we shall visit the Faerie kingdom, and see just how well Her Majesty is ruling."

"With respect, my Queen," Giselle timidly asked. "but we aren't going to harm anyone while there, are we?"

Myrtha smiled cynically. "Why no, dear Giselle, we are merely going for a diplomatic visit. No one shall even know we're in the Realm…..now go!" The Wilis disappeared as their Queen said to herself, "Adina, you're going to wish you had never been born."


	6. Chapter 5:Destination Center

**Author's Note:** **And once again, I have returned….hopefully to stay this time around. I apologize for the VERY long absence….Writer's Block hit, as well as numerous things IRL and several personal issues. **

**The Writer's Block shouldn't return, as I've written down where I want the rest of this story to go. **

**Oh, and once again, **_**Labyrinth **_**and its characters are the property of the Jim Henson Company. Adina and anyone you don't know from the movie belong solely to me. **

**Chapter 5: Destination Center**

The castle of the Faerie Queen was a flurry of activity early the next morning as Adina and her Ladies prepared to leave. She had decided to take a few of them along as a proper escort with a squad of five Faerie soldiers/guards.

_I really don't want to take the women along, but protocol demands it,_ Adina silently watched the servants load a trunk and some smaller boxes onto the carriage that would transport them to the center of the Underground.

"Will we really need that much luggage, Your Majesty?" one of the Ladies asked.

"I don't know. I've never been to a special Council meeting before," Adina answered truthfully. "however, the last regular Council meeting lasted three days. This could be much longer."

"Your Majesty, won't we be late?" the same Lady continued. "I may be wrong, but I believe you said the invitation requested you to be present this morning!"

"They don't entirely mean that." Adina replied, quietly moving her hands beneath her traveling cloak to secretly assist the Faerie men who had been struggling with the trunk, and were now amazed that they could easily secure it to the back of the carriage. "Some areas of the realm are farther from the center than we are, so they cannot possibly reach the meeting in time. The reason the Council Secretary worded the invitation in such a fashion was to imply its urgency." She sighed, still somewhat curious as to the meeting's purpose, and voiced her frustrations aloud, "I just wish I knew why they were convoking a meeting so soon!"

"Perhaps another kingdom is in dire need of help," the Lady-in-Waiting Nessabelle suggested. Everyone stopped still and stared at her, causing the maid to turn scarlet with embarrassment. "What did I say?"

Adina tried to keep her jaw from dropping open. _Maybe they're not all as dumb as I thought! _ "Nothing, Nessabelle. You just had a good, sensible suggestion, that's all. I hadn't thought of that." _She's no Galinda, but maybe Nessabelle won't be so bad. _"Is everything ready?" The coachmen all silently bowed in confirmation. "Then let's be off!"

In his castle, Jareth was preparing to leave as well, though not with an escort. _If I took any of the goblins along, there's no telling what would happen. They're such brainless creatures, almost as bad as those Fireys in the southern forest of the labyrinth. _

As he walked to his throne room, Jareth found himself also wondering what the Council was up to. He had received a single green sheet of paper the night before, the message commanding his presence. Though he was rather busy with various Goblin affairs, Jareth could not possibly refuse.

_There's not a war, or a rebellion going on that I know of,_ Jareth thought upon entering the throne room. _Considering the last meeting was two months ago, I can't think what is so important. _He looked at his subjects, who were doing what goblins do best- being loud and causing mischief. A group of them were chasing several chickens(where the chickens had ever come from, Jareth still wasn't sure), while others were engaged in a burping contest. The rest seemed to be sleeping, watching, or just running around and talking for no reason whatsoever.

_The smartest creatures in the entire Underground, _Jareth rolled his eyes at the scene. _I wonder if the Seelie are anything like them. _An image of Adina immediately came to mind, causing Jareth to wonder how she was. Since their conversation several months ago, he had not spoken to her. He'd heard travelers passing through the Goblin City speak of the militia the Seelie now had, and how wise Queen Adina was in organizing one.

_All because of the advice I gave her, _Jareth thought a little smugly. Still, Adina hadn't had to listen. She was a smart person.

"Eeee!" a goblin squealed, crashing into Jareth's legs. It looked up at its ruler with a large toothy grin, hoping to avoid the Goblin King's wrath.

Jareth merely glared at it, then began to speak. "The Grand Council has summoned me to a special meeting. I shall be gone a few days." That said, he assumed his owl form, and flew out of the Underground. _The sooner this is settled the better. No telling what those idiots will do while I'm gone. _It didn't seem to matter to the goblins that Jareth was able to see them from anywhere as a result of his crystals; they would get into lots of trouble even if he stood and watched them. _It's good we have these meetings, if only to escape them. I wish I knew what this was all about though. _

**Please review! **


	7. Chapter 6:Dreams and Duets

**Author's Note: **** Well, so much for being prompt…sorry y'all!**

**Anyway…**

**Yay, reviews my first chapter back! Thank you very much, notwritten! **

**By the way, if this story doesn't make any sense to anyone, I humbly point you in the direction of **_**A Labyrinth Prequel**_**, my original story. It should help some.**

**Also, Adina and Nessabelle's song is the "Flower Duet" from the opera **_**Lakme. **_

**Chapter 6: Dreams and Duets**

_She stood on a cliff, looking out over a valley. The atmosphere seemed peaceful, with the gentle wind the only sound. Suddenly she heard her name: "Adina…" It was low at first, but then slowly the voices-there was more than one speaker- grew louder. In a trance, she walked away from the cliff, and into a darkened wood. Still she heard the voices, crying her name louder than ever. _

"_I'm coming," she whispered. "Wait for me." _

_The voices abruptly shrieked with laughter upon hearing that response. She whirled around, and saw white flashes rushing past her. Again, the voices called her name, this time in a hollow tone and drawn out: "Aaaaaaaa…dddddiiiiii…nnnnnaaaa…come to us!" _

"_Where are you?" she spun again, looking for the source of the voices. "I'm here!"_

_The white flashes appeared once more, this time accompanied by several gusts of wind. Because they were so strong, she felt herself growing weak and falling. As soon as she hit the ground, the chorus of laughter returned, louder than before. Though the flashes seemed to be shapeless, they began to encircle her. She raised her hands to defend herself…_

The carriage bounced over a bump in the road, jolting Adina from her slumber. Blinking a few minutes, she slowly recovered her senses, breathing heavily.

_Mother save us, but what was __that__ all about? _Adina speculated while watching Nessabelle's hair fly in and out as a result of Peasseed's, one of her other ladies in waiting,snores. _I haven't had a dream like that since…Father died. _A wave of sadness washed over her, triggered by the memory. _He never did tell me much about how special Council meetings worked, even the regular ones…hopefully this one won't be anything troublesome. Maybe Jareth will have some of idea of what's going on. He's probably attended lots of these gatherings. _

The thought of Jareth made Adina smile, and she gazed out of the coach's window, looking up at the sky. _Lucky him that he can fly, and have no entourage. How __does__ he carry his wardrobe around, though?_

Jareth soared through the air, enjoying every minute of his flight. _It never gets tiresome, doing this…nor have I ever taken it for granted. And even if I had, Adina and her family have shown me nothing is the same from day to day._ He felt a pang of regret thinking of how he'd never truly known Queen Imogene and King Sylvan, having seen them only at Council meetings or Underground social functions. _No thanks to that idiotic father of mine, telling me I had a sister, albeit a half-one, only after trying to kill her._

If he had been in his natural form, Jareth would've grimaced in disgust at the thought of his father Gurnemanz's shameless plotting against Adina and her family, but since he was in owl form the best he could do was to twist his beak. _At least he's been punished, and I don't feel any pity for him! _The last time Jareth had seen his father was after he had attempted to help Adina save her mother. Once he had learned of Gurnemanz's plot, Jareth had cursed his father and flown away, leaving the old man to wallow in self-pity and misery.

Hearing a commotion below, Jareth glanced down to see a crowd of carriages, chariots, and horses on the road. _All heading to the Council meeting as well, _he surmised. Dropping a few feet, he looked to see if any of the carriages held Adina and her ladies. _There are the brownie nobles…that one belongs to the elves…dwarves…the merpeople should be swimming up the channel…where is she?_

"How much farther to go?" Peasseed whined, though they were moving along at a steady pace.

"Only ten more miles," Adina calmly stated, trying not to let her patience wear thin. "which isn't so bad."

"Her Majesty is quite right! If Her Majesty can handle it, then so can you!" Nessabelle stated firmly.

"But ten is such a big number!" the lady in waiting Hortensia complained. She had dark black hair and a fair complexion. "We'll get there at midnight!"

_Mother give me strength…_ Adina closed her eyes and quietly said, "It's only early afternoon, so that's not a worry." Seeing how that statement didn't help things, she continued. "But…we could always do something to pass the time. Can anyone think of anything to do?" _That should appease her…if her whining doesn't drive me insane first!_

They were all silent for a moment, until Nessabelle spoke up.

"Your Majesty," she started timidly, "I know you haven't sung in a while, but, since we still have some distance to go, could you please sing for us?" The faerie maid immediately blushed, surprising Adina yet again.

_There's hope for her yet! _Adina tried not to grin. Truthfully, she had missed singing-Adina hadn't since her mother's funeral- and had been hoping someone would ask her to at some point(it seemed self-centered to sing to herself, Adina had reasoned). Sitting up, she asked, "Well, what sort of song would you like?"

"Something with flowers, please, Your Majesty," Nessabelle replied, which seemed to please the other ladies as they nodded approvingly.

"I believe I know the perfect song…but you'll have to help me, Nessa," Adina smiled, genuinely happy. _It's almost like having Galinda again! _

Nessabelle's eyes widened as she gasped, "Oh, Your Majesty…" This did not last long as Adina began to sing and she quickly joined in, recognizing the tune:

'_Neath yon shady dome,_

_Where jasmines white with the roses are blending,_

_To mossy banks so bright,_

_Let us twain now be wending,_

_On the tide, side by side,_

_While with playful hands_

_We touch the waters shining, _

_Joyfully there reclining,_

_Come! Seek we the crest,_

_Where the spring doth rest,_

_Where the birds softly singing,_

_Glad are winging,_

_To yon dome fair and bright,_

_Let us twain now be wending. _

Their voices fell and rose together, Adina's clear soprano perfectly complimented by Nessabelle's lovely mezzo. Time seemed to stop during the song, and once it had finished the other ladies-in-waiting, as well as the coachmen, burst into wild applause.

"Your Majesty, you're wonderful!" Hortensia practically squealed, bouncing in her seat.

"Brava, brava a thousand times!" Peasseed echoed, her eyes dancing.

"Just lovely, Your Majesty, and Nessabelle," Wysteria, Adina's fourth lady-in-waiting, praised, clearly more subdued than her peers. She did not speak often, but when she did it was always the truth.

Now it was Adina's turn to blush, as she fought back tears. _One of Mother's favorite songs…she and I sang it often, before everything fell apart. _Not wanting them to see her cry, she bowed her head, additionally as a means of thanks.

"If I may be so bold, Majesty…" Hortensia asked as the applause died down, "could you please sing again?"

"Yes, please," Wysteria added. "We have all missed your voice."

_I've missed it too, _Adina thought with a shy smile, surprising herself. "This one will be a bit different…" And so she began another song…

Back in the faerie realm, Advisor Felduff paced the halls of his chambers in the castle. "Surely there should be some word! She can't have taken this long!"

"Calm yourself," Advisor Sofbaum called to him, sitting on a nearby couch. "she'll have welcoming ceremonies, and the like, before ever finding our little surprises."

"Let us hope they work!" Advisor Vinguyne snapped. "None of us want this to fail, and be tried for treason!"

Felduff stomped over to the two of them, snorting. Pouring himself some wine from a nearby flask, he snarled, "I wish she would just arrive soon! This time our plan cannot fail!"

Picturing Adina's reaction, Sofbaum began to laugh, slowly at first. His comrades joined him, caught in the spirit of the moment. _Adina shall be shamed before the whole Underground…and no one will ever know we were responsible. _

**Please review! Thanks! **


	8. Chapter 7: Harmless Fun

**Chapter 7: Harmless Fun**

Because of the large crowd headed to the city, it took an hour for Adina and her entourage to arrive within the gates. As the carriage headed along the city streets, citizens who had stopped to watch the procession cheered and waved frantically, hoping to be noticed.

Adina, seeing them, regally waved back, much to the consternation of Hortensia.

"Oh, Your Majesty, such riff-raff!" she sniffed, barely glancing at the peoples' excited reactions resulting from her queen's kindness.

"There's nothing wrong with being kind," Adina firmly stated. "How much harm will it do? I'll likely never see them again." _No need for her to be so snobbish._

Hortensia fell silent as the carriage and small squadron of guards pulled up to a large outer staircase that led to the palace. Servants and minor officials could be seen bustling about, welcoming dignitaries and carrying luggage.

"Your Majesty, who are those ladies before us?" Nessabelle asked, pointing to a group of women who were being greeted by the officials. They were all dressed in delicate pastel gowns, and seemed to have a fragile air about them.

"Those are Nymphs," Adina declared, feeling a sense of kinship with the slight women. "they rarely leave the forests and pastures in which they dwell. Plus, they're a peaceful folk. That alone indicates two things: this Council meeting is of the utmost importance, and whatever it is about, it is not anything warlike."

As the ladies gaped and cooed over the Nymphs, Adina caught sight of a familiar face at the top of the stairs: Jareth. He was dressed in full black, his cape flowing around him, and appeared to be pacing, until he caught sight of the carriage.

_He's waiting for me…that's sweet of him. _Subconsciously, Adina ran a hand through her hair and centered her tiara. _I don't want him to think I'm worn out again, just because my crown's crooked. _

The carriage stopped, and the coachmen held the doors open. Slowly and gracefully, Adina stepped out, followed by the Ladies. As the guards flanked her, she started up the staircase and was met by the half-bowing officials a few steps up.

"Your Majesty, a most fond welcome," one of the officials greeted her. "I do hope your journey went smoothly."

Jareth calmly watched the exchange from above, gazing mostly at his half-sister. Dressed in a peaceful mint-green colored dress, she seemed to be greatly less stressed than the time they had talked in the garden. _A relief…after all she's been through, the poor girl needs a rest,_ he thought as Adina, her Ladies, and guards finished the welcoming pleasantries and began to finish their climb up the stairs. _If only she could get away from them for me to at least say hello! I could right now, but a public greeting means a formal greeting, and she ­__is__my sister whether she wants it known or not!_

Although they had never discussed such, Jareth did not publicly acknowledge Adina as his half-sister. While he greatly wanted to since he loved her and was proud of her, Jareth knew that to claim her as such would create a scandal for the Seelie Realm. _And I never want Adina to be humiliated, which, unfortunately, solves that. _

The chatter of Adina's handmaidens stirred Jareth's thoughts, and so he moved into the Seelie party's path. _Our kingdoms are allies. To the casual observer, that is all it will seem to be,_ Jareth thought instantly. "Queen Adina, Your Majesty, a pleasure to see you again!" he greeted her in a loud, slightly booming fashion. _Adina, dear sister, how are you? _was his unspoken greeting that he knew she'd hear.

Adina tried hard not to grin upon seeing Jareth before them, nodding his head once in place of a regular bow. She heard Hortensia, Nessabelle, Peasseed, and Wysteria abruptly gasp and immediately fall into curtsies. _And once again, Jareth has a legion of admirers around him. _

_Jealous? _Jareth's voice echoed inside her head.

_Not at all, _Adina shot back. _After all, you're the one who has to keep an eye on his cape. I've heard them plotting to tear off a piece while you're not looking, just so they can say they saw the Goblin King in person! And cover it in kisses, of course. _It took all of her willpower not to burst out laughing as Jareth quickly swept his cape back, eyeing all of Adina's Ladies as she replied, "King Jareth of the Goblins, I am glad to see you as well. How have the goblins been?" _I'm fine. How are you?_

"They're the same as ever- boisterous and obnoxious," Jareth replied lightly as they began to walk together towards the inner doors of the palace. The Ladies quietly followed behind, and he was relieved to see none of them had attempted to grab his cape. _Yet._ _From any other woman, such would be flattering, but I've seen what simpletons Adina's maids are- almost the level of the goblins! _Still, protocol demanded Jareth give them some sort of compliment, since Adina had asked about his subjects.

"And I see that the Seelie are just as lovely as ever," he continued, gazing at each of the women in turn and ending on Adina, prompting muffled squeals and giggles from the Ladies and a smirk from his sister. "would that the Goblin Realm was so fortunate." _Truth be told, they aren't bad on the eyes…if only they were as intelligent as Adina. _

Deciding to have a little fun and yet be serious at the same time, Adina quickly said, "The Goblin Realm ­is fortunate…it has you." _Would that we had time to see each other more often…you may have the goblins, but they're better than most of my subjects!_ She winked at Jareth, ignoring the shocked silence of the Ladies and enjoying the sound of his laughter.

"Your Majesty, you flatter me," Jareth grinned playfully as he took Adina's hand and kissed it. "but the Seelie kingdom is luckier, I feel, having such a wise and lovely young woman as yourself for its queen." Unseen by the Ladies, he returned a wink to Adina, who was slightly blushing.

_Is all this flattery truly necessary? It's giving them ideas, _Adina silently asked, noting how Hortensia and Peasseed were struggling to keep from squealing again.

_Oh, Adina, you will have to do a great deal more while you are here. All the rulers practice such…some have unofficial competitions! _Jareth responded as he smiled at his half-sister.

_Joy,_ Adina wryly thought. _I'm __so__ looking forward to it. _"That's very kind of you, Your Highness," she said aloud, finally remembering to retract her hand, and nearly succeeded in such until Jareth grabbed it again, giving her a meaningful look.

"Your Majesty?" a small female elf hurried up to the group. When she saw Jareth holding Adina's hand, she blushed a brilliant red.

"I…Your Majesty…if you and your Ladies will follow me, I'll show you to your rooms," the elf finally stammered, curtsying.

"Thank you," Adina replied with a nod.

She turned to Jareth, who said, "I'll see you at the banquet tonight, Your Majesty. Until then…" He kissed her hand again, then turned and briskly walked away.

All of the women, Adina included (but for a different reason than the others, she was quite sure) stared after him, until Adina cleared her throat to break the spell. "Shall we be off then, Miss…"

"Casseopia, Your Majesty. I'm a maid in the palace," Casseopia answered. "And now if Your Majesty will follow me…"

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"Why are we gathered here, Sofbaum? What's so important that we were summoned to the Queen's conference room?" Advisor Vinguyne whined. "It's time for the evening meal!"

"Hold, Advisor," Advisor Sofbaum replied softly. "we're here to check on the status of Adina. I took the liberty of adding a little…insurance to her trip, in case your plans do not work." He turned to face the large mirror, and waved his hands before it. A few minutes later…

"You called, Advisor?" the form on the other side whispered.

"Yes, milady. Have you prepared the special vial?"

"I have indeed, Advisor. And it is to go inside the collar of her dress?" the woman gestured to her neck.

"It is," Sofbaum replied with a malicious grin. "Make sure you sprinkle it inside while Her Majesty and other Ladies aren't looking."

"That won't be a problem. Her Majesty is currently bathing, and my fellow handmaids are unpacking the Royal Wardrobe. I am to select the gown for the banquet, and they will be fussing over her as soon as she steps out of the bathroom. It will be quite simple."

"Don't put too much on the collar," Sofbaum warned, enjoying the discomfort of his fellow Advisors. "we merely want to humiliate her, not kill her."

The maid looked behind her and quickly said, "They're coming to see where I am. I shall give you a report as soon as possible."

"Very well," Sofbaum smiled again. "enjoy yourself at the banquet tonight."

The mirror cleared, and Advisor Sofbaum calmly walked out of the conference chamber, purposely paying no heed to the open-mouthed stares of his colleagues.

It was certainly going to be an interesting evening.

**Sorry if this chamber seemed a bit fluffy, but I had fun writing it. And one of the Ladies is a traitor, hmmm? The question is, which one? Anyhow, please review. **


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